The 3rd Gemini Luxury Bus

[Librarina]

I thought I'd get our shiny new thread started, welcome.
Previos Thread

I also thought I'd include our little round up of who is having what, when...feel free to update, there's only a few of us so we shouldn't end up drowning in Stats!

kittykats : girl
JoJo: boy
Bringon: girl
Frust: boy
Blending: one of each
Lib: surprise - 1st baby - EDD June 7th
Lor: surprise (for now!)
Ohtheplaces: girl - 1st baby - EDD June 5th
Peardrop: boy

I don't know about usual Lib as it's all new to me too but one thing I'm swiftly learning about pregnancy and people's reactions to it, is that there's no such thing as 'usual'.

My DH is keen to feel kicks on one hand but he thinks it's weird and finds things like the scan really hard to look at. He's weirdly squeamish, so it just unsettles him. He loves that we're having a baby, he loves me, he's been brilliantly supportive but it's just a bit weird for him - especially since, unlike us, he's a bit removed from the process. To be honest, I'm finding the kicking a bit weird sometimes!

Anybody want my free (from cow and gate) money-off vouchers? I'm not going to use them

I can list them later if anybody is interested and I'll stick them in the post.

At what point should I get concerned about Braxton Hicks? I didn't get painful contractions when in labour so that's a useless discrimination for me! I seem to be getting them more & more frequently & they make me breathless & a bit woozy. It's rarely my whole uterus that contracts though, usually just the bottom half & they don't last very long. Is this 'normal'?! I thought you didn't get them until later on & then only sporadically, not several times a day!

My midwife said I shouldn't qbe getting them until after 26 weeks jojo have you been very active recently? And is it like period pains?

No, not like period pains, just a squeezing feeling. I'm never very active these days! I mostly seem to get them in the early afternoon when I've just put DS down for a sleep - getting him up the stairs is about as active as I her! It's making me scared to go for walks etc, just incase something happens while we're out & I can't get home. I've taken to driving everywhere so I'd have a faster escape route!

Have you mentioned it to your midwife jojo?

No, I've not seen her recently & not due to for 7 weeks yet! I'm beginning to think I should call soonish, just for a check-up. I'm pretty sure it's nothing to be concerned about. I don't think I've ever had any medical appointments where I've been told there's a problem when I thought there wasn't. I'm pretty good at knowing when there's something wrong with my body! Can't be too careful when pregnant though!

I find it really wrong that there's so long between apps for midwives when your on your second or more child, I don't understand why they think its so much less likely to go wrong or that you may not need monitoring the same, to go from 16wks to 28 without seeing anyone is a long time! Know what you mean about sending when things are wrong though Jojo hopefully it'll settle down for you!
Anyone watching obem? I love it and there was a great cow and gate advert in the break!

I can't watch that since having DS... Makes me cringe & cross my legs! Then I start feeling like I should be pushing too, to help them!

Has nobody else had a 21wk midwife appointment? I thought that was normal.
The only one I don't appear to have is the 31wk one.

JoJo does it feel like your tummy is tightening and goes really hard and then after say 5 minutes goes soft again? If it does feel like that then I've been having that a lot recently. I read in my what to expect book that it is a sign of the uterus growing. I can give you the exact wording if you like.

Frus my last appt was at 16 weeks and that was with a health visitor because the midwife was at the hospital. She couldn't answer any of my questions and I now have to wait until 25 weeks until my next appt. I haven't even met my midwife because I changed surgery due to move at 14 weeks. So far my new surgery has not impressed me and if I don't see the midwife at 25 week appt I might loose the plot (apparently they can't guarantee she won't be in hospital on Fridays, the day she is in surgery). I think it's terrible how little appts I get in my area. As a first time mum I have tons of questions and there is no one to ask! It appears that you have to suffer from pre natal depression to get any attention around here! Good old Nhs again!

Yes, that's exactly what it feels like, but it doesn't take 5 mins to go - more like 20 secs. It comes & goes several times over about half an hour, although has been going on most of this evening! I think we're about due a growth spurt so that's probably all it is. So far my bump isn't huge - I'm pretty sure everything's going up before it goes out! Would explain why I'm getting aching at the bottom of my ribs already!

It's standard round here to have appts at 16 & 28 weeks with subsequent babies. I wasn't bothered before but now I'm feeling a little more clingy!

Jojo it sounds like you're experiencing the same as me then. And your right it's more like 1minute then 5minutes...I'm finding every minute drags The book says its totally normal for our stage in pregnancy so I wouldn't worry too much (even though it sent me into panic last week).

I'm not big either...yet. In fact if anyone else tells me how small I look for 23 weeks I might loose the plot

That's terrible pear, in my town (well its more a collection of "settlements" closely grouped together) we have interlinked surgeries, so 3 mornings to see midwives, and a team of about 6 of them I've not seen the same one twice yet (Who work out of local town that also have teams covering areas). I think just one midwife who isn't always available for appointments is shocking. although I'm not sure our coverage is normal, I've just presumed that it was, or because we're class as a "deprived" area

baby weighing/health visitor clinics are interlinked with the local town too, so can pick and choose the convenient times, and don't have to stick with the same one all the time.

You're lucky pear I was asked at work today if I was sure it wasn't twins not sure how they could miss twins at 2 scans. ,
I do look huge, but was a wierd question nevertheless.

Frus- I know, DH keeps telling me I'm lucky too but I kind of wanted a big first time belly. Oh well, it will come. Your surgery sounds great. Good to know someone is getting good service in the country! I am just thankful I don't need a lot of help at this stage. I have a ton of books for all my questions...not the same but will have to do!

Frus I'm getting the "aren you sure it's not twins??" question as well. I do honestly look like I'm closer to 25 weeks than only 20.... can't help it! Just the way it is when you're on #3 I guess!

Totally sounds like braxton-hicks contractions, Jo. Some first time mums feel them (I did) and a lot more 2nd and subsequent mums will feel them more often. If you're feeling a lot of them, try having a small snack, a glass of water and put your feet up. They tend to happen more if you're dehydrated or have low blood sugars, if you're really active (which sounds like it's the case when bringing a little one up the stairs), or after doing the deed. All totally normal.

Thanks bring, I knew you'd be along to tell me to stop being silly reassure me! I was 95% sure it was nothing to worry about but I was surprised that it had a greater effect on me than just the tightness. Hormones are odd. I shall drink more & take things slower for a few days & see if that helps!

Pear, I know what you mean about wanting a big bump. I know several people who look like they've shoved a beach ball up their top when pregnant. I mostly just look fat. No nice round bump for me! I was hoping that this one would be different but sadly it doesn't seem to be going that way. I wonder if spending a considerable part of my day on all fours would allow gravity to drag the baby down & give me a nice sticky-out bump...

What would you be doing on all fours Jojo lol

Ahem! coughs

Thanks for the reassurance Lorelei

This is an interesting chat about Braxton Hicks - I didn't know you could get them this early, I thought they just came right at the end and made people think they were in labour when they weren't yet. This is what happens when the majority of your pregnancy knowledge comes from Eastenders and Friends.

I've been assuming all the weird flutters and wriggles and spasms I can feel are the baby swimming around inside me, but maybe it's more uterine tensions than baby movements... not entirely sure how you tell.

Anyway, it feels weirdly nice so am not complaining.

Happy nearly Friday x

No they'll be the baby lib, think bh are more when your bump goes hard she guess as never had them but not like a fluttery tapping that baby does

Jojo what you're describing could be Braxton Hicks or it could be some uterine twinges in reaction to your baby moving. Or it could also be some ligamentous pain which is a stretchy pain as you change position or roll over in bed (I had it this morning).

You are more likely to get early BH in a 2nd/3rd etc pregnancy but this is particularly early!

Lor you're feeling baby move and as it squirms around inside and sometimes performs full somersaults, this can be quite uncomfy. Its so mad to think what's going on inside, eh? I'm loving this bit, at last I don't just feel fat, but properly preggers, with a wriggly little kicker inside to keep me company!

Hmm maybe the nap wasn't such a good idea, I feel worse now.